Mark L. Walberg hosts PBS's "Antiques Roadshow." The series will film in southeastern Michigan on June 1. / PBS

By B.J. Hammerstein

Detroit Free Press Columnist

The wave of firings at Clear Channel-owned radio stations claimed two more metro Detroit radio personalities Monday: Renee Vitale, the morning show cohost at WNIC-FM (100.3), and Nick Craig, assistant program director and afternoon drive host at WKQI-FM (95.5). Vitale said the toughest part about being let go after Monday's " Jay Towers in the Morning" show is that she won't be doing the job she loves.

"All I've known is radio," the 33-year-old metro Detroit native said. "Radio is my passion. I love what I do. But this is the reality of the industry, the part that is really hard."

Vitale, a Specs Howard School of Media Arts graduate who has been cohosting with Towers since July 2010, said a station rep told her the show is "being taken in another direction."

It was unclear whether Vitale's departure would affect Towers, but Vitale said she thinks he will remain on the air. On Monday afternoon, his show was still being promoted on the station's website.

Tony Travatto, vice president of programming for Clear Channel Media + Entertainment/Detroit, said in an e-mail to the Free Press that station management would not comment on personnel issues.

Towers, who also works as a weekend anchor on WJBK-TV (Channel 2), was on a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles immediately after Monday's show, Vitale said. She wasn't able to talk to him after she was let go, and Free Press attempts to reach Towers were unsuccessful Monday.

"You don't think you'd miss waking up at 3:45 in the morning, but that's what happens when you're so passionate about your career," Vitale said. "The thing I'm going to miss the most is the relationships established with the show's listeners. In a lot of ways, the listeners have become my extended family."

Like Vitale, Craig is a metroDetroit native and Specs graduate who, after 11 years with the company, was told Monday that he was being let go because the station was going in a different direction.

"I'm as surprised as everyone else. It's definitely not the fun part of the business, but you see it happen regularly," said Craig, who served as WKQI's assistant program director, music director and afternoon-drive host.

"It's disappointing when you connect with listeners daily," he added. "But I was born and raised here and plan to be back on the air here sometime soon."

In early December, there was a wave of layoffs at Clear Channel radio stations around the country. Among the metro Detroiters affected then were WNIC morning show producers Jenna Cork and Dan Watkins; WNIC's weekend and swing-shift personality Danielle Car; Jag, who served as WKQI's midday host, and WMXD's popular "Afternoon Mix" host Frankie Darcell.

Briefly

• Metro Detroit fans of long-running PBS series "Antiques Roadshow" will get to see the production in person later this year. On Monday, producers announced that the show's eight-city tour will kick off June 1 in southeastern Michigan. More details will be announced soon. Ticket applications are now being accepted at www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/index.html. Fans also can call 888-762-3749. The event will be free, but tickets are required. Ticket holders can bring two items for a free approximation of value by experts from the world's leading auction houses, independent appraisers, auctioneers and dealers.

• Steve Burton, who played Jason Morgan on the ABC soap opera "General Hospital" for nearly 21 years and left the show last fall to relocate his family to Tennessee, is joining the cast of "The Young and the Restless," he announced Monday on CBS's "The Talk." His first episode airs Jan. 29.

More Details: Fast takes

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